LUDIPIPO is a programmer for the PIC16C84 (only) that attaches to,
and is powered by, the serial port of a PC. It assumes that the
high level voltage coming out of the serial port will be at least
12 volts. With different software, it could also program the
PIC16F84 and perhaps the 8-pin PIC12 series.

TxD ---*-----------------------------
(3) I I
--- ---
I I I I
I I 2.2k I I 10k
--- ---
I I\I I
*-------I-I-----*--------- I
I I/I I I I
----\ I + I I
/\ \ --- 14 I I 4
/ \ 5.6V --- --------------
---- 10u I I Vdd Vpp I
I I I I
I I 5 I I
GND ---*---------------*----I Vss I
(5) 22k I I
----- 12 I I
RTS ---------I I----------IRB6 (clock) I
(7) ----- I I
----- 13 I I
DTR ---------I I----*-----IRB7 (data) I
(4) ----- I I I
2k2 I I PIC 16C84 I
CTS ------------------I I------------I
(8)

The pins of the 9-pin serial port connector are in parentheses.
Note: No power supply is required; nor a double-sided circuit board;
and we're not selling anything.

The resistor values are not critical. Instead of 2.2k, 2.2k, 10k, 22k,
I have used 1.4k, 1.4k, 10k, 16k. The original plan had a 100-uF
capacitor which I replaced with a 10-uF tantalum. There's not much to
install, not much to solder. Be sure to get the diode and the capacitor
installed the right way around.